Oz Federal Election 2013 - Discussion and Comments

[amaroo]

Labor politicians can vote with their conscience on those issues without ramifications. On other issues, the MPs have a free vote in the party room, but once the issue is decided by a majority vote then everyone must fall in line.

Good in theory. This term of Government clearly shows that falling into line wasn't a high priority for most in the caucus.

 

[medhead]

Some interesting comments. How about a few numbers. According to publichospitalfunding.gov.au the commonwealth has provided $12billion to hospitals under the national health reform program, year to date ending May 2013.

Who knows what proportional of that goes to cancer but a wild guesstimate is one third based on approximately 1/3 of the population getting cancer on average. So maybe $3 to $4billion upto May 2013. How much would they spend on VIP jets?

I also think there are significant differences between heart disease and cancer. Many treatments for heart disease seem to involve physical and mechanical devices. The put in a pacemaker, or a stent or whatever. Potentially set and forget devices that require minimum follow up. I know my grandfather had minimum in hospital treatment after his pacemaker was installed. Cancer is rather different and may require many interventions over an extended period of time.

Heart disease is also something that is liable to be caused by lifestyle choices, which is not so much the case with cancer.

 

[quokka77]

The relative funding of different aspects of healthcare is a genuine concern. Off-topic: personally I think the bias towards expensive pharmaceuticals may not give us the best return on our spend. It is however terribly difficult for the PBS and Governments to stand up to intense community and vested interest lobbying for the latest oncology drugs. Often these drugs cost tens of thousands to hundreds of thousands of dollars per year to the taxpayer, and may give only marginal benefits to the patients (extension of life often measured in months not years).

Regarding heart disease: there is also a good-going market in novel pharmaceuticals here (think cholesterol-lowering medications, new blood pressure medications, blood thinners and anti-platelet therapies). Sometimes these also turn out to be expensive failures. Diet and exercise remain critical factors in heart disease prevention (and less so in cancer prevention) but maybe we need to be encouraging more people to walk, run and ride daily.

Maybe those FBT car rule changes wouldn't be so terrible.

Regarding uncertainty of election timing being bad for business: it appears universally accepted that the election will occur between early September and November (and the speculation in Fairfax today is on 7 September, G20 notwithstanding). Hopefully this will all be settled soon. Having lost the sweepstakes regarding election timing (I picked one of the late August dates) I propose a few new challenges.

Predictions on :
- outcome
- size of majority
- % swing against ALP in Craig Thompson's electorate (will it be higher than that achieved by Jackie Kelly in 2007!?)

Make your predictions with your heads, not your hearts, please!

Here's my attempt:
- Coalition
- 6 seats
- 7%

 

[Pushka]

The spend on cancer research is further complicated by the many types of different cancers, the age group they strike, the degree of malignancy, and gender. Ovarian brain and pancreatic cancers are wicked cancers to get, but suspect don't receive as much attention as breast cancer or bowel cancer which as a percentage are more curable but also more widespread.

And then there's the issue of the 2020's - diabetes.

 

[drsmithy]

Then you need to reconsider your vote, whatever your politics you can't have your cake and eat it too. I've been fortunate in the past to have really good independent candidates at all three levels of government so I've had a genuine choice.

These few comments merely serve to reinforce my opinion we need to get rid of formal political parties all together.

 

[BadgerBoi]

These few comments merely serve to reinforce my opinion we need to get rid of formal political parties all together.

Well, I was perfectly happy with the job my independent member did for many, many years, and her successor (also an ind.) seems to be doing good work as well.

my fondest hope is that the appalling Sophie Mirabella is ousted by an independent in the coming federal election. Australia deserves better than that dreadful person.

 

[Skyring]

my fondest hope is that the appalling Sophie Mirabella is ousted by an independent in the coming federal election. Australia deserves better than that dreadful person.

My fondest hope is to live in a world without hate.

Sadly, there's a long way to go.

 

[BadgerBoi]

My fondest hope is to live in a world without hate.

Sadly, there's a long way to go.

You're responding to the wrong post, there was nothing about hate in what I wrote.

 

[Skyring]

You're responding to the wrong post, there was nothing about hate in what I wrote.

Look into your soul, big boy.

 

[BadgerBoi]

Just when you think it's safe to take em out of the ignore list they decide to go off their meds.
<plonk>

 

[drron]

So Tony's Refugee solution involves building a tent city in the pacific founded by the company that provided trips to the pacific?
Coalition's 'tent city' trip funded by Toll Holdings

I see you haven't followed up on this story.The ABC and Fairfax need better fact checkers.Toll was asked by both the Government and Opposition for costings on rebuilding the Nauru centre.They were flying their executives there anyway and offered the spare seats to the Opposition.No real extra cost as the plane was going anyway.

 

[medhead]

You're responding to the wrong post, there was nothing about hate in what I wrote.

Isn't mirabella the queen of hate?

 

[cove]

Does Kev need Obama helpers to come and "help him" in his electioneering??

 

[wmetz]

Why wasnt there also a government representative also on the flight as well as a greens member?

 

[medhead]

I see you haven't followed up on this story.The ABC and Fairfax need better fact checkers.Toll was asked by both the Government and Opposition for costings on rebuilding the Nauru centre.They were flying their executives there anyway and offered the spare seats to the Opposition.No real extra cost as the plane was going anyway.

Better off ignoring that sorta rubbish story. Even $10000 off a car isn't corruption. A free flight to Nauru? Wow, beautiful phosphate mine! reminds me of how I used to have to drive to the middle of nowhere because flying on the company plane to a barren, vegetation free plain baking in 45+ degree temperatures to work might corrupt me.

 

[BadgerBoi]

Isn't mirabella the queen of hate?

I would be interested in hearing from anyone in politics from any side of the spectrum who has a good word to say about her.

 

[drron]

Does Kev need Obama helpers to come and "help him" in his electioneering??

And are they on 457 visas?

 

[amaroo]

And are they on 457 visas?

Nice work drron

 

[medhead]

And are they on 457 visas?

So what if they are? The government has not stated a problem with 457 visas in total. They have raised a problem with using the visa without determining if there are appropriately skilled people in Australia first. Is there anyone who has the campaigning experience of these 3 in Australia? ie were managers of multiple us presidential campaigns. If there are then you criticism has merit

 

[drron]

So what if they are? The government has not stated a problem with 457 visas in total. They have raised a problem with using the visa without determining if there are appropriately skilled people in Australia first. Is there anyone who has the campaigning experience of these 3 in Australia? ie were managers of multiple us presidential campaigns. If there are then you criticism has merit

Well people on 457 visas are given them for a specific job that no Australian is qualified to do.Not for the best in their field.So there are no people who couldn't do the job?
Though I would believe there are no Australians who would do the job.
And shouldn't John McTernan have had his 457 visa terminated when the job he was given the visa for was terminated?
Just goes to show once again the hypocrisy of this Government.